back to reality

I could get used to cottage life. I try and tell myself that it's more enjoyable because I don't get to do it all the time....but if vacationing was my job, I would definately earn billionaire status.

I have no way to include everything in one post so I am going to dedicate this week to some of my favorite moments at the Lake. Martha's cottage was a perfect place for the whole Koops family to get together and share a week. It meant so much to slow down, relax, read, talk, and connect.

Lazy days on the beach play time in the water and sand
Lake Michigan had perfect water temps for the week. We got to enjoy days with "rollers" and another calm day so the kids could really play in it

Amazing sunsets

Happy fourth!

Justice riding pluto, pretty speedy

The girls really loved the "whipper snappers". Jovie smashed them with her bare piggies!

Kadence loves being outsdie and getting dirty!

Simon loved getting dirty as well, he did take it a step farther when he showed us how good dirt tastes!

Daddy and Lucy with Zuma

At the Cascade Parade

Jovie and baby Zuma

kady Loved the fireworks (which totally surprised us!)

Our group at Gun Lake fireworks! So big now that we needed two views!

Lucy's prayer

The many faces of Kadence

Summer lovin'!! She loves popscicles!

Wanna see what I was eating??

Ahhh, so peaceful

come on mom, are we done with this yet? I want to see those dutch dancers!

Little diva in the making

Poolside fun--yet not too sure what to make of it

Don't mess with my thumb or my blankie!

Not that anyone wants to hear their own child scream, much less someone elses....but here is one of Kady's minimal tantrums. One day she'll thank me for this! ;) We love her strong personality. (please turn down your volume!) I have yet to get a really good smile on camera. She gives out lots of those, and kisses, she is such a lover. The problem is we never know what to expect from her, and it can change in a matter of seconds! Love you Kady-Kate.

So it must be a sign that the video will not download x2.....

Birthdays in May

I'll go in order of age..not birthdays (since I downloaded them in reverse). Lucy turned 3 this year! She is a growing, bubbly, loving little girl. You could sit and have an adult conversation with her at anytime of the day. She has the best imagination. She tells me stories about her own house (she actually has 2 a dora one and a princess one)--that is filled with many dora and princess things. Her "friends" stay with us regularly, when they are not at work. We laugh quite a bit over here at what she comes up with, there is never a dull moment when Lucy is around.

We also think Lucy is in line to win an oscar. She is so dramatic--both good and bad. She was very excited to celebrate her birthday with a dora theme, and a pinata. The kids did a great job hitting the pinata, I was impressed. Jim did get a little carried away with his job as the rope holder and broke the handle off just in time to rip it open and find all the treasure inside!

We unfortunately don't have any good close ups of Lucy. The poor girl got attacked by mosquitos in her bed the night before her birthday. She is sensitive just like her dad when it comes to their bites. She swells up like you wouldn't believe, so she celebrated in style with an eye that was so puffy it would only open a crack. (she jumped up and down a couple days later when her eye wasn't "cwooked" anymore!)

Our first celebration was for Kadence who turned 1! We had a party for family at our house on Mother's day. What a beautiful little girl who really has just blessed our family. We opted for a rubby ducky themed party, partly because I think it is so cute how she "quacks". She puts her lips together, purses them out and moves them up and down so fast as she almost growls. She does this for pretty much any animal sound. It makes me giggle everytime!

She wasn't too sure about her birthday cake, we still haven't had a kid dig in and make a mess with their cake. We let the rest of the kids go to town on it. She finally took a fork and did make a couple attempts at some frosting. My neat little girls!

Kady tried and help open her gifts. Lucy was so good about opening them and then showing her what she got. It's great to always have a big helper around!

The famous duck cake!

I count my blessings year round, but are continually reminded of them in May! God has truely blessed us with healthy, independent, beautiful girls! They are so different...it's amazing they are sisters. We celebrate each as an individual and what makes them unique!

wow

It was like Christmas this afternoon when I ran to my mailbox (I seriously have felt like the kid on the Christmas Story) and found my package from hong kong. A usb cord! The simple joys in life. Especially because I had erased all the pictures I could and took my last one this morning.

She is just so cute. I asked her to get her flipflops on this morning before heading out. I heard her door shut for this activity...it usually means she isn't doing what I asked her to do. Out she comes.......I didn't have words for this outfit, but she informed me that she needed to wear her socks all the way up because they were her ballerina socks. She needed to dance, and what mom can argue with that?

updates

To those of you who still check my blog (bless you!)....my usb cord for my camera has been ordered. I know am anxiously awaiting a package from hong kong so I can keep on blogging!